The Padirac Chasm (

French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...

: ''Gouffre de Padirac'') is a

cave Caves or caverns are natural voids under the Earth's Planetary surface, surface. Caves often form by the weathering of rock and often extend deep underground. Exogene caves are smaller openings that extend a relatively short distance undergrou ...

located near

Gramat Gramat () is a commune in the Lot department in south-western France. Gramat station has rail connections to Brive-la-Gaillarde, Figeac and Rodez. Population Notable person * Julien Bessières (1777–1840), scientist and diplomat, was bor ...

, in the Lot department, Occitanie

region In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as areas, zones, lands or territories, are portions of the Earth's surface that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and ...

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

Features

The chasm itself is deep, with a diameter of approximately . Visitors descend via a lift or a staircase before entering into the cave system. The cave contains a subterranean river system that is partly negotiable by boat, and it is regarded as "one of the most extraordinary natural phenomena of the Massif Central". The Padirac river continues underground for about until it flows into the

Dordogne Dordogne ( , or ; ; ) is a large rural departments of France, department in south west France, with its Prefectures in France, prefecture in Périgueux. Located in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region roughly half-way between the Loire Valley and ...

at the Montvalent Cirque.

Formation

The chasm was created at an undetermined point in time when the roof collapsed into a large internal cavern. It is known that the cavern existed in the 3rd century, and was inhabited during the 15th and 16th centuries, when

potassium nitrate Potassium nitrate is a chemical compound with a sharp, salty, bitter taste and the chemical formula . It is a potassium salt of nitric acid. This salt consists of potassium cations and nitrate anions , and is therefore an alkali metal nit ...

was excavated from the area.

Tourism

The first tourists visited the cave on 1 November 1898; however, the site was officially opened for tourism on 10 April 1899 by

Georges Leygues Georges Leygues (; 29 October 1856 – 2 September 1933) was a French politician of the Third Republic. During his time as Minister of Marine he worked with the navy's chief of staff Henri Salaun in unsuccessful attempts to gain naval re-arm ...

, the 87th

Prime Minister of France The prime minister of France (), officially the prime minister of the French Republic (''Premier ministre de la République française''), is the head of government of the French Republic and the leader of its Council of Ministers. The prime ...

(then called ''président du conseil''). Today, although the chasm system is made up of more than of galleries, only have been opened for tourism. Since the 1930s, visitors can access the cave system by descending by lift or stairs, and then exploring the chasm system on foot and by boat. Padirac is the most frequently visited underground tourism facility in France, with more than 350,000 visitors annually, and a record of 460,000 in 1991.

Exploration

The chasm was first explored, in 1889, by

Édouard-Alfred Martel Édouard-Alfred Martel (1 July 1859, Pontoise, Val-d'Oise – 3 June 1938, Montbrison (Loire), Montbrison), the 'father of modern speleology', was a world pioneer of cave exploration, study, and documentation. Martel explored thousands of caves ...

. Much of the credit for opening the cave system is owed to (1903–1986), who came to

Padirac Padirac () is a commune in the Lot department in south-western France. Population Notable people * Armand Bouat (1873—1929), politician and merchant See also *Padirac Cave *Communes of the Lot department The following is a list of ...

in 1938 and managed to penetrate of the passages.

References

External links

Le Gouffre de Padirac official website
{{Authority control Show caves in France Limestone caves Tourist attractions in Lot (department) Caves of Lot (department)